Tony's Wake Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed Day
by Dixie Dewdrop
Summary: Sometimes life is just not fair to seven year olds. This is part of my Fate scenario.
1. Ignored

Ignored

Maria had almost finished cooking the family's breakfast when Tony made his way into the spacious Campeche kitchen. Usually he was there participating in the preparation with her, but today he had been lagging behind.

She smiled as he came up to the stove, but he eyed the spatula in her hand suspiciously and responded with a frown.

"Abuela, I am supposed to help you make the French toast. Why did you cook it without me when you knew I should help, queria ayudar?"

Maria leaned down and kissed him on the nose, then turned her attention back to the stove. "You took too long getting out of the bed this morning, Bambino, to help your abuela."

Clearly aggravated, Tony turned and made his way to the table, yanked out his chair and plopped down. He propped his elbows on the table and muttered defiantly. "I'm seven now, not a bambino any more." For good measure he scowled, and puffed his lip out in a pout.

Maria regarded him as she transferred French toast from the griddle to a serving platter. "Antonio, take responsibility for your morning. I woke you up in time, en tiempo, but you took too much time getting ready. So now I think that you also got up on the wrong side of the bed today."

Tony scowled further, clearly not willing to take the blame. "I did not get up on the wrong side of the bed, but you knew I had to get dressed, and make up my bed. You should have waited for me to start anything!"

Maria set a plate with toast in front of him. "No, you would have made it if you had not stopped and played with your toy soldiers before you got dressed."

Before he could make a rejoinder the front door opened and Jethro and Jackson Gibbs entered, having spent the last half hour walking to and from the town's market to purchase fresh fruit to accompany breakfast. Jackson took their haul to the sink and began to wash it.

Gibbs came up behind Tony and lifted his chin up, tilting back his head, so that Tony was looking at him upside down. Gibbs smiled and planted a kiss on his child's chin. "Good morning, Son-"

Tony didn't answer, but as his father turned him loose, he stuffed a bite of toast into his mouth.

The adults didn't appear to notice his degree of annoyance, and were busy making plans for the day instead. Tony fumed silently.

"So Maria, what we catch today we can have tomorrow night?" Jack clarified, leaning against the sink and drying his wet hands with a dish towel.

"Si, yes, we will have a fish dinner tomorrow night. Tonight we must just have sandwiches, because I will not return in time to cook us such a big meal."

Jethro took his own seat and drank a long swallow of coffee. "Ok, then Dad and I will take some lunch picnic items with us, because we are planning this fishing trip to be an all day marathon outing."

"Where are we going to fish, Daddy?" Tony's interest had piqued with the mention of outdoor activity.

Jack answered, "You can't go on this one, Sport. This is just a day for your daddy and me to hang out together reeling in a haul."

Tony frowned unhappily at that, and Jethro added quickly, "The next fishing day will include you. Grandpa and I want to spend some alone time together, though. You know he flew all the way from Pennsylvania to visit us here, and I want to have a chance to talk to him about some grown up matters."

Both Maria and Jack had taken their own seats and had begun to eat, as well.

Jack rubbed his stomach after the first bite and turned to his grandson. "Ummm, ummm, I must say this is the best French toast I have ever had the opportunity to savour."

Tony scowled and kicked his chair leg, "Abuela started cooking before I could help. She would not even wait for me."

Maria shot him a warning glance and clamped her hand on his leg before he could kick again. She turned to Jethro, "I should be home by suppertime."

Gibbs stopped eating for a second to answer, "No, Maria, don't rush home. We'll be ok for supper. Dad and I can bring something home, in fact. You just have a good time today and enjoy the expedition with your sister."

Maria smiled, obviously looking forward to her outing, and Tony looked from her to his dad, his suspicion rising. "Where are we going with Tia, then, Abuela?"

"Tia and I are going to Campeche for a shopping day. You are not going, Nieto."

Tony's aggravation intensified.

"Why can't I go with you and Tia? I like to go to Campeche, and we can go to the store with kites." Angrily, Tony pushed his plate away from him, eliciting a sharp look from his father.

"You are staying with Rosa, remember? I told you yesterday that she would be your babysitter today, Bambino."

Maria leaned over and wiped the corner of Tony's mouth with her napkin. He threw himself back in the chair and pushed back from the table, clearly not willing to accept his future exclusion.

Gibbs leaned across the table, displeased with the show of temper, "That's one, Son, and you know there will be a punishment if the count gets to three."

Tony poked out his lip into a pout and scowled at the news. No one even cared about what he wanted for his day!

Jack tried to diffuse Tony's irritation by asking brightly, "Is Rosa that really pretty girl that I met the other night? She's the one who's in college, right, and who said she knows lots of games?"

"She's stupid, and I don't need a babysitter!" Tony declared to his audience, determined to provoke a dramatic reaction.

"Two, Bambino," Maria announced firmly, "You are going to find yourself in trouble if you don't straighten up your behaviour at once. Rosa is nice, and she has kept you before. Of course you need a sitter, because I will be gone, and Daddy and Grandpa will not be here either. You can not stay solo, alone, and you know that."

Silence met that observation, and the three adults relaxed and went back to eating.

Gibbs finally stood up to refill his coffee and Tony slid out of his chair, then pushed it to the table.

"I do not remember excusing you from the table," Maria spoke calmly, tilting her head in Tony's direction and looking meaningfully from him to his chair.

"I don't want anything else to eat," he retorted dramatically, determined to share his unhappiness with the family. He kicked the back of his chair for added effect, and it wobbled and hit the table.

Jethro set his cup on the counter and turned to his son. "Three," he announced firmly, then yanked Tony to him. Grasping him by the arm, he turned him sideways and landed a hard smack to his bottom. Tony's eyes filled as he tried to escape his father's grip.


	2. Misunderstood

Misunderstood

Maria stood up and grabbed his hand instead, and Jethro turned him loose as Maria led the little boy from the kitchen.

"Okay, Bambino, you have earned yourself a time out in your room," she explained, as she prodded him down the hall towards his bedroom.

Tony immediately started to protest, but she remained firm. "Hush right now- you had plenty of warning that your behaviour was unacceptable."

"Abuela, but I want..." Tony attempted to change her mind by softening his voice and wiping at his eyes.

Maria stopped at the bathroom door, unyielding. "Bathroom, and brush your teeth quickly. If it takes too long, then I will add more to how long you stay in your room."

Tony decided to cooperate then, having learned from experience that once a punishment was determined, it was going to happen, and that arguing about it always got him in worse trouble. Sighing, he finished and made his way down the hall with resignation.

Maria stopped at the door to Tony's room and pointed to the chair at his desk. "Sit right there, and do not move from that chair until I give you permission to do so." Tony's lip crept into a pout but he made his way to the chair and obeyed, looking back to make sure his Abuela saw that he was following instructions. He would get into a world of trouble if he disobeyed a punishment, as he well knew. She nodded in affirmation, though, and waited for him to turn around and prop his chin on his arms before she returned to the kitchen.

"You know," Jackson observed, as the three adults finished breakfast and then began the clean up, "Tony is such a sunny child, it's always a shock when he wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and cuts up."

"That's true, Dad, he is usually pretty even tempered," Jethro agreed.

The next minutes passed swiftly as they verbally finalized their plans for the rest of the day.

Tony was sitting quietly when Jethro entered the bedroom half an hour later. He swivelled when he heard his father, and Jethro picked him up from the chair, then sat down himself, and put Tony in his lap.

He kissed his son's forehead. "Punishment's over now, Big Boy, but I do not want to see you kick a chair or talk so rudely again. That conduct will get you into trouble every single time. Ok?"

Tony nodded, but Jethro took his chin and turned his face so that he was making eye contact with him.

"I want a verbal answer from you," he insisted.

"Yes sir, I understand," the child replied quietly.

"Good," Jethro answered, then stood and set Tony on the floor while he stretched. "I do mean good, because you came very close to being put across my knee this morning for a real spanking, Young Man."

Tony's lip started to quiver, and he grabbed his father's hand as Jethro started out of the room. "Daddy, I want to go fishing with you and Grandpa today, please."

Tony followed right behind his father as Jethro headed back towards the kitchen.

"No, Son, this fishing day belongs to just Grandpa and me. You and I went fishing last week, and I know you and your grandfather will plan your very own excursion. Plus, the three of us will have a big fishing trip before Grandpa goes back to the States. This one today is for the adults."

The response did not please Tony, but wisely, he thought better of arguing with his father after he had just mentioned a spanking.

"There's my handsome grandson!" Jack called out as Tony made his way into the living room. "Come here and give me a kiss before your dad and I leave."

Jack picked him up and kissed him, then held him on his hip another couple of minutes, bouncing him as he moved around the room.

Jethro eventually joined them and pointed towards the front door, "We're set, Dad, let's go before the fish stop biting."

Jack handed him Tony and Jethro hugged his little boy and planted a kiss on his forehead before he put him on the sofa. "Be good today, and make sure that you don't give Rosa any trouble."

Tony nodded and watched his father and grandfather say their good byes to Maria. They were so excited about the fishing opportunity that it was hard to not share their happiness. Nevertheless, he didn't appreciate being left out of the day's activities. Just because he was a kid, he did not get to choose the activities he wanted to do. He watched unhappily as Jethro pulled bills out of his wallet and handed them to Maria. That was obviously money to pay the sitter.

Tony sat down on the sofa and picked up one of the photo albums from the side table and began to study the pictures.

Some time later Maria appeared in the arched doorway and motioned him to follow. Abuela was humming to herself, and Tony trailed her to her bedroom as she located her purse and put on lipstick. She consulted the clock by her bed.

"It's almost time for Rosa to get here to stay with you, Antonio."

Tony scowled. Honestly, he liked Rosa, and she was a fun babysitter. In fact, she was his preferred sitter in Mexico. She was young and vivacious, and devoted her time to Tony when she kept him, rather than to her friends or to her phone. Nevertheless, he wanted to make sure Maria was aware of his displeasure.

"Why does everyone get to go somewhere today, but I don't?"

Maria ignored the question, so Tony persisted, his voice laced with annoyance. "I never get to do anything fun. I don't like Rosa. She's mean, and I don't want her to come here."

Maria set down her purse on the bureau and took a seat on the bed, "Come here to me, ven aqui, Antonio."

Tony crossed the room and faced her and she brushed his bangs away from his eyes. The little fellow was her heart.

Maria smiled- he was such a gorgeous child. At seven, he was still pretty tiny for his age, though he had gotten taller in the past year. His brown hair was generously laced with blond streaks from the Mexican sun he had enjoyed the past few weeks. Shimmery green eyes, framed by long lashes, reflected his upset though, and Maria pulled him closer to her. Tony was, after all, her very own baby.

"Nieto, you are not telling the truth when you say you do not like Rosa and she is mean. Eso no ese cierto, and..."

Tony interrupted impatiently, pushing away so that he could face her, "Why can't I go with you and Tia?"

Maria looked at him sternly and ordered, "Do not interrupt me again, Antonio."

Chastened, Tony let his gaze drop to the floor, but Maria demanded a response, "Do you understand what I am saying?"

He nodded and answered, "Entiendo, I understand, Abuela."

"Good," she smiled and kissed the tip of his nose. "This shopping trip is not going to be one for little boys. We are going to look for dresses and perfume, and shoes that we like. You would not have fun, and you would get tired easily. You always like it when Rosa keeps you, so I am sure that you will have a very good time here instead, es verdad?"

Tony shook his head, and Maria added, "Now when I get home I had better have a good report from Rosa about your behaviour, or there will be some consequences you will not like."

Tony immediately met her gaze and licked his lips. He wanted to continue his plea, maybe wear her down by arguing, but at the same time, his dad's warning about spanking his bottom was fresh on his mind.


	3. Defeated

Defeated

A loud knock and then the sound of voices interrupted their conversation, and both Maria and Tony got up to greet her sister and Rosa, who had come in together.

Tia held out her arms to Tony, who ran over and hugged her around her plump waist. She considered him part of her personal family, and had felt that way for years, despite the fact that Tony and his family had no actual blood ties to her sister, Maria.

Rosa called out cheerfully, "Oh, save some hugs for me! I haven't kept you in a while, and I have missed you, my little cutie pie."

Before Tia could turn him loose Maria began giving instructions to the sitter. Tony kept one arm around his tia, and listened warily to the orders. He wanted to make sure his day wasn't going to be a total loss.

Rosa nodded and followed Maria to the kitchen, where the older woman showed her the list of contact phone numbers and some money in case they went into the village.

Hurrying back into the living room, Abuela motioned Tony over to her, kissed him good bye, and reminded, "Remember that you are going to be a good boy for Rosa. I want to hear nothing but wonderful things when I return."

"What time will you get back, Abuela?" Tony questioned, reluctant to actually let her leave.

"By supper, Nieto, now let me go so that I can get back to you."

Tony was kissed again by both Tia and Abuela, and then they were gone. He frowned up at Rosa.

"What are you going to do, Rosa?"

Rosa grinned, definitely aware that he was not too happy about his day. "Obviously you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, muchacho."

That didn't please the child, and he turned and headed towards the living room. Rosa called after him, "Tony, where are you going?"

He stopped and spoke with annoyance, "The living room- I am going to watch television."

Rosa held out a hand, "No, I don't think so. You know your abuela doesn't allow you to watch television during the day."

Tony slammed himself against the wall and his voice rose, "She's not here, and you are, and I want to watch!"

"No," the babysitter was firm. "Your abuela said no tv and you may not cut on that set." Then softening, she added, "You and I can go out for lunch today, and I know we can find something fun to do outdoors instead. How does that sound?"

Tony threw himself onto the sofa, crossed his arms, and puffed out his lip. Rosa regarded him and shook her head. Tony definitely was in a bad mood.

"Never mind," she amended, "since you want to stay on the sofa and sulk. We'll just hang around the house instead of going anywhere today."

Tony jumped up immediately, annoyed at her response. "I was just waiting for you. You promised that we could go out to lunch!"

Rosa smiled, and decided to ignore his tone of voice. "Ok, go get ready, and we'll head on out for a bit."

Two hours later they were sitting on a bench at the informal park located on the very outskirts of the village. They had already finished the lunch they had bought from one of the street vendors, and had come to bask in the beauty of the summer afternoon.

Within minutes of their arrival, several boys ran up, having recognized Tony, and invited him to play. Rosa reluctantly agreed to let him go for a while, but made him repeat to her the boundaries of his play area. The boys took off excitedly, their voices filling the air.

Rosa settled back and pulled out the magazine she had bought at the newsstand, checking the time and Tony's whereabouts before she opened it.

An hour later she closed the periodical and stood up to stretch. Tony and his friends were suddenly nowhere to be seen, and she shook her head in annoyance. They had been in sight every single time she had checked, so they couldn't have wandered off too far. She began walking the perimeter of the park and calling, first calmly, but as time passed, more frantically. A half hour later she was frantic, and had started out of the park to alert the police when she saw Tony and his group headed back in her direction.

He was unrepentant and unconcerned as she scolded and fussed, turning him towards home as she lectured him on his irresponsible conduct. If anything, he acted as though he could follow his own rules. Rosa was angry, and rewarded him with a time out in his room when they got back to the house.

He was still there when Maria returned, laden with shopping bags. Once she had spoken to Rosa, paid her, and bidden her good bye, Maria called Tony to come to her. He came, looking guilty, and after kissing him hello, she picked him up and set him on the counter.

"Nieto, I am not sure what is in your head, but you have made some very bad choices in your behaviour today."

Tony scowled, "No one let me go with them anywhere, not you, or Daddy, or..."

She didn't let him finish, "That does not matter- eso no es importante. Now, I believe that Rosa told you to stay where she could see you at the park."

"She already punished me for that, Abuela, me fue castigado! I have been in my room until right now."

Maria put a finger to his lips. "Hush, Antonio, and listen. You were sent to time out for not following instructions given you by Rosa. Your father and I expect you to obey those who are taking care of you in our absence, is that not true?"

"Yes, but Abuela," Tony could tell that her reaction was not forgiving.

"No, the answer to that is yes. Now, because you did not obey Rosa as I told you to do, I am taking away your television watching for tonight."

"Abuela! I am sorry, and I will do what she says forever from now on, but I want to see tv tonight! I haven't watched it since last night."

Maria shook her head and picked him up off the counter, then set him down on the floor. "That is my decision, and I do not want to hear another word. What I want you to do is to set the table now, because you and I are going to have supper in just a minute."

Though upset, Tony knew not to keep fussing. He did as she had told him, but pouted all the way through the meal. He helped with the clean up, hoping she would change her mind about the television, but she considered his assistance part of his normal chores. Once the kitchen was finished she told him to go ahead and take his bath, then called him back and reminded him to wash his hair.

That brought about immediate protests, and she repeated the instructions sternly, clearly losing patience. He finally gave up arguing and left, and a couple of minutes later she was reassured when she heard the bath water gushing.

Jethro and Jackson came in then, laughing and triumphant from their outing. They had enjoyed a fishing bonanza, and had an ice chest full of fish they had caught. They had, furthermore, already cleaned them, and Maria bragged on the haul.

While Maria dealt with the refrigeration, both went back to say hello to Tony, still bathing, then settled in the living room with cups of coffee.

Maria joined them there, but before she sat down, she called out, "Bambino, remember that I said your hair needs washing."

Tony replied loudly and angrily, and Maria immediately turned towards the hall and headed his way.

Jackson winked at Jethro, "Someone's in trouble."

Maria did not say a word until after she had pulled Tony up out of his bathwater and delivered two stinging smacks to his sopping wet rear end. "Start shampooing your hair right now, Antonio, and if I hear that tone of voice again, you are going to get your bottom torn up!"

Wisely, Tony didn't answer verbally, but managed to grab the shampoo bottle and start shampooing as his eyes filled with tears and he rubbed his hurting bottom. Satisfied that his compliance was permanent, Maria left and returned to the living room, where she updated the two men on Tony's day.

"The good news is that his attitude is so bad today that tomorrow we'll be grateful if he just smiles," Jackson joked, and the other two laughed.

The conversation turned to plans for the rest of the week.

Half an hour later Tony appeared, his hair sopping wet and clad only in his underwear. Ignoring his father and grandfather, he immediately made his way to Maria, sitting in the rocker, and propped against her legs.

She bent down and kissed the top of his head, commenting on how good his freshly washed hair smelled. "Where are your pajamas, Antonio? Shouldn't they be on you?"

"I straightened up the bathroom, Abuela," he answered, ignoring the pajamas question.

"Very good, and I did not even have to tell you tonight-" she smiled.

Tony leaned against her knees and tugged down the back of his underwear. "Look," he said accusingly, "you left spank marks on me."

He puffed out his lip in an attempt to garner sympathy. However, Maria patted his bottom in dismissal and righted his clothing instead. "I do not see spank marks on my boy, but if I did, I would not be upset. You know the right way to speak and you know the wrong way to speak."

Nevertheless, casting a critical eye over him, she turned him sideways to examine a bruise on his leg, then turned her attention to a mosquito bite on his left arm and the skinned place on his knee. Satisfied that her baby was in relatively good shape despite the injuries, she pulled him up onto her lap, wrapping her arms around his little body.

Tony snuggled against her at once and as she rocked, he reached up and rubbed her hair softly, a habit he had adopted in babyhood. Within a few minutes his hand dropped and she felt him shift, so she knew he had fallen asleep.

She nodded to Jethro, who got up then and made his way to his son's room, where he turned down the bed. Returning to the living room, he gathered his little boy from Maria's lap and gently carried him to bed, covering him softly and kissing him good night.

Tony slept through all of the movement, and when Jethro made it back to the adults, all three raised eyebrows at each other.

Jack held up his coffee cup and spoke for all three. "What a difference one little seven year old can make to a day. Here's a toast to our Tony waking up on the right side of the bed tomorrow!"


End file.
